The Wizard of Oz (Movie)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 film directed by Victor Fleming, based off of the Oz book series, written by L. Frank Baum.
Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a twister and brought to the Land of Oz where she meets the Scarecrow, Tin man and Lion along the way. They set off to meet the Wizard of Oz, in hope that he will be able to send Dorothy home and grant her new friends a heart, courage or a brain. Along the way they run into the Wicked Witch of the West and the Glinda the Good. When Dorothy and her friends meet the Wizard he refuses to grant their requests. Dorothy's dog Toto exposes the Wizard who admits that he is a humbug. The Wizard ends up granting Dorothy's friends their requests and attempts to send Dorothy back to Kansas in his hot air balloon but she does not make it to the balloon in time.
The budget of The Wizard of Oz was around $3,000,000 and only made around the same amount at the box office during the time of release. This does not factor in the amount made from people purchasing this on video and DVD. It first featured on CBS television station and was then shown around Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas each year, quickly becoming the most watched movie.
When The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, most movies that were being made were still in black and white which made this movie a big hit at the box office. This movie explores the imagination of a child and how there are other lands out there somewhere over the rainbow.
There are many differences between the book version and the movie. In the book Dorothy was actually in the land of Oz compared to Oz being only a dream in the movie. The colour of the glittery shoes worn by The Wicked of the East were changed from silver in the book to red in the movie as red was a more visually appealing colour to the eye and caught peoples attention easily. It has also been speculated that the silver slippers were changed to red to represent the Populists' solutions to the nations economic woes.
The Wizard of Oz was known for its use of makeup and effects which were said to be ahead of their times. The original cast member who played Tin Man ended up in hospital as the powder makeup in which he breathed in daily had coated his lungs. The actor ended up having to leave due to illness in which Jack Haley replaced him.
If using this movie in the classroom, some students may have trouble keeping their attention as the movie is not very good quality compared to most movies that they enjoy watching, for example the camera work, effects and costumes. This movie can be purchased on DVD and Blue ray at most department stores as well as streaming online.
Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a twister and brought to the Land of Oz where she meets the Scarecrow, Tin man and Lion along the way. They set off to meet the Wizard of Oz, in hope that he will be able to send Dorothy home and grant her new friends a heart, courage or a brain. Along the way they run into the Wicked Witch of the West and the Glinda the Good. When Dorothy and her friends meet the Wizard he refuses to grant their requests. Dorothy's dog Toto exposes the Wizard who admits that he is a humbug. The Wizard ends up granting Dorothy's friends their requests and attempts to send Dorothy back to Kansas in his hot air balloon but she does not make it to the balloon in time.
The budget of The Wizard of Oz was around $3,000,000 and only made around the same amount at the box office during the time of release. This does not factor in the amount made from people purchasing this on video and DVD. It first featured on CBS television station and was then shown around Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas each year, quickly becoming the most watched movie.
When The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, most movies that were being made were still in black and white which made this movie a big hit at the box office. This movie explores the imagination of a child and how there are other lands out there somewhere over the rainbow.
There are many differences between the book version and the movie. In the book Dorothy was actually in the land of Oz compared to Oz being only a dream in the movie. The colour of the glittery shoes worn by The Wicked of the East were changed from silver in the book to red in the movie as red was a more visually appealing colour to the eye and caught peoples attention easily. It has also been speculated that the silver slippers were changed to red to represent the Populists' solutions to the nations economic woes.
The Wizard of Oz was known for its use of makeup and effects which were said to be ahead of their times. The original cast member who played Tin Man ended up in hospital as the powder makeup in which he breathed in daily had coated his lungs. The actor ended up having to leave due to illness in which Jack Haley replaced him.
If using this movie in the classroom, some students may have trouble keeping their attention as the movie is not very good quality compared to most movies that they enjoy watching, for example the camera work, effects and costumes. This movie can be purchased on DVD and Blue ray at most department stores as well as streaming online.
Main characters and cast
Dorothy - Judy Garland- Dorothy is the protagonist in the movie - The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy lives with her Aunty Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas. After a cyclone hit her house, she and her dog Toto are flown to a magical place called The Emerald City where she meets three new friends and sets off on an adventure to meet the Wizard in the hope he will help her return home.
Glinda the Good - Billie Burke - Glinda is the good witch of the south who informs Dorothy of the powers of the magic slippers and how they will lead her to where she needs to go.
Wicked Witch of the East (no actress) The Wicked Witch of the East dies when Dorothy's house falls on top of her. We are not introduced to this witch in the movie and only hear of her through Glinda, the munchkins and the witch's sister the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy precedes to take her glittery red slippers when she begins her journey on the Yellow Brick Road.
The Scarecrow - Ray Bolger - Dorothy meets Scarecrow first on her journey down the yellow brick road. Scarecrow has no brain so she and Dorothy set off to meet the Wizard in the hope he will grant them a wish.
Tin Man - Jack Haley - Tin Man is the second friend that Dorothy meets on her journey down the yellow brick road. Tin Man has no heart and decides to come along to meet the Wizard.
The Lion - Bert Lahr - The Lion is the third friend that Dorothy meets on her journey to meet the Wizard. The Lion has no courage and hopes that the Wizard will grant him some.
The Wicked Witch of the West - Margaret Hamilton - The Wicked Witch of the West's mission is to kill Dorothy. When the witch realises the power of Dorothy's slipper she tries to steal them from her. The Wicked Witch of the West did not serve as a threat to Dorothy in Baum's book but she features heavily as a key character in the movie.
The Wizard - Frank Morgan - When Dorothy and her friends meet The Wizard, he refuses to grant their wishes. Toto then exposes The Wizard and he admits that he is only a humbug. He decides to grant the wishes to Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion and attempts to send Dorothy back home in his hot air balloon but it leaves without her.